Today’s question comes from Darren who asks, “I bought a 1500-mile range, 4K TV antenna to go with my Tablo, but I still get breakups in the picture and audio on some channels. The ones that do come in clearly don’t seem sharp enough to be 4K. How do I fix this?”
Myths, misconceptions and bad marketing are unfortunately common in the TV antenna industry. Consumers like Darren, who scour product listings for a ‘good quality’ TV antenna, are often led astray by companies promising performance well beyond the technology, science or physics of over-the-air (OTA) television.
Let’s debunk a few common antenna TV myths and misconceptions…
Myth #1 — The Higher the Milage Rating, the Better the TV Antenna
Any TV antenna promising a range of more than 70-100 miles should be avoided. Why? Beyond that range, over-the-air signals are blocked by the curvature of the earth. So unless someone has found a way to break the laws of physics, even the best TV antenna positioned in the best location won’t pull in channels beyond that range.
Myth #2 — TV Antenna Mileage Ratings Are Accurate
TV antenna mileage ratings are only ‘best case’ estimates. In the real world, obstructions and interference can reduce antenna effectiveness. TV fans should choose a model with a range slightly higher than your distance from local broadcast towers (e.g. a 30-mile antenna when you live 20 miles away).
Myth #3 — You’ll Get a 4K Quality Picture From a 4K-Capable TV Antenna
TV antennas can only pick up what’s being broadcast and don’t ‘upscale’ video. Today, most OTA TV channels are broadcast in 1080i, 720p, or 480i quality. Even channels broadcast via ATSC 3.0 top out at 1080p for now. Therefore, no TV antenna can truly deliver 4K quality until more Ultra High Definition television content is produced and broadcasters have the frequency bandwidth and technology to deliver it.
If you’re in the market for a new TV antenna, stick with brands like Antennas Direct, Mohu, Channel Master, Antop and Televes. These companies manufacture quality products and provide accurate, realistic descriptions so you can purchase the correct TV antenna for your needs.
Have a question about watching TV that you’d like answered? Send us a note and you may see your question on the Tablo blog and in an upcoming issue of our newsletter, Stay Tuned!
